[Closed] VW van experts, a question if I may.

My old T5 was working just fine when I sold it with 175k miles and 15 years old.

As for the lowered suspension, I guess it all depends how it's been done and the quality of the suspension kit. Sportline Vans are just 30mm (iirc) lowering springs on standard shocks and rode OK. Forum chat seems to suggest that certain springs have better ride quality than others. You can get coil over kits for £250 but they seem to be short lived and crash about.

Lowered suspension should increase its appeal as its a mod you're going to want to do, and quite common and plenty out there with modified suspension. Driving a van on normal van suspension gets very tedious unless you're going to be using it as a van. On slightly stiffer suspension and 40mm or so lower and it improves the driving significantly. I've driven SUV's and MPV's that drive worse than my old T5 on a standard Bilstein/H&R suspension kit. Not crashy at all and no more firm than a road-going SUV if you have sensible sized wheels on. Crashy ride comes from silly wheels rather than suspension. I ditched the 20" alloys the van came with and put on more sensible 18" wheels on and that improved its ride quality no end, and drove very well on road in combination with the lowered suspension. There are lots of suspension kits out there and it is a simple replacement job to install so not much can go wrong...maybe just look for signs that the tracking and alignment has been done, but other than that saves you a job.

But high mileage is common...that's what I found when I was looking initially to buy a van and do a self build camper. If you want one with sensible mileage the VW scene premium will kick in and will cost you. I actually ended up with one that had high mileage for its age but still sensibly low mileage so lucked out on finding a middle ground one with middle ground pricing. I guess high mileage shouldn't be a turn off on its own....I know of Passats with essentially the sam engine that the firm that ran us to the airport when going on work trips that had over 500k miles on them and the drove like new...obviously 99% of that was trudging up and down the motorway to Heathrow and the cars were meticulously serviced...so maybe not the same level of duty or care your average builders van has received, but no reason why high mileage should be an issue, especially if you're a low to average mileage driver...you're not going to accumulate that many more miles on it.

Limiting yourself to a van with around 15k seems absurd...Mileage is no reflection of condition and some employees will pretty much be guaranteed to damage a van within the first month of ownership anyway.

Saying that, I bought a van with 12k but that's because Ivecos are proper workhorses and you rarely see one that doesn't have a stoved in rear quarter or dented roofline, it just so happened that after a year of searching, the one I found happened to be low mileage, and unfortunately that I had to increase my budget.

Limiting yourself to a van with around 15k seems absurd

I'd assume that's all the OP wishes to spend.

Apologies, I assumed he was limited to 15k mileage rather than £15k!

For a day van, lifestyle wagon, whatever, I can see the point of a T6, loads of 3rd party stuff for them, loads of different conversion options, I had one and the options are endless.

But as a works van? No, I really wouldn't, far too expensive.

I'd look at a Proace, or a Nissan, so much better value for a basic panel van.

I've had a vw t5 campervan for ten years but if I had to replace it, would I be spending a premium on a vw?

Ten years ago the t5 was the obvious choice but now I'm not so sure.

10 years ago campervan bits were mostly locked to a vw t5 but now there's so much choice.

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As @Nobeerinthefridge says, there are some other great choices out there

Well thanks for taking the time to reply fellas some very good points to ponder there. As nobeer and Damascus have said there are other makes to consider and I’m becoming increasingly drawn to the Renault trafic sport model as the cockpit is really top spec and obviously they are a fair bit cheaper as well.
Really like the VWs though, bit more thinking to do.

Have you actually tried the new Dispatch / Proace / Expert / Vivaro? We've had one for 2 years and it is great. Also cheap to run - 20k / 2 year service was £222 at our great family run main dealer including full brake fluid change (which they actually did unlike a lying Ford dealer we had issues with in the past).

We tried a Trafic Sport at the time of buying and cabin / driving wasn't as nice. Only criticism of ours is not that well thought out for "living in" carrying bottles, thermos flasks etc in cab compared to Trafic and Transit.

I'd run a mile from anything with "improved" suspension - especially if loading with work stuff. I work with vehicle manufacturers (including time at VW's proving ground) and they put a lot of time, effort, money and engineering into making the original setup safe and durable.

What trade are you? I only ask as it may steer your van/engine choice. We run a five pot t5 and regularly carry and pull stone and sand in a twin axle trailer. Not all vans are going to do that.
That said the van itself is pretty much ok at 13 year old and c150k. Its plagued by annoying electrial gremlins typically central locking related. It still does look sharp enough for 13, and resale value is reasonable. The modern competition looks very very good come replacement time though

I’m going to have a look at a proace pretty soon, looks really nice in the picts, so yes that’s a possibility as well.

I’m an aerial rigger so I’m not carrying a lot of weight just two sets of ladders and a van full of lightweight stuff.

Aye no bother then. The roof on the t5 always feels a bit high when i put the ladders on, anything lower would be nice. Those proaces always appear a bit lower when im behind one but it could be deceptive i suppose.